What's a good e bike headlight?

[Nanoha]

How about this one for your carbon fibre road bike

http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-80275-Auxiliary-Lamp/dp/B008H4LSBG/ref=pd_sim_auto_2/181-6564560-2932437?ie=UTF8&refRID=1RCCVNHE3QM9X9XG4MN1

 

[Nanoha]

Is that an led headlight or incandescent?
On closer inspection of the light you are referring to, I can't tell if you're being serious or just trolling.
Looks like a larger version of a retro dynamo powered headlight...

 

[Nanoha]

Is that an led headlight or incandescent?
On closer inspection of the light you are referring to, I can't tell if you're being serious or just trolling.
Looks like a larger version of a retro dynamo powered headlight...

There is three pictures in my post.
And If all this information is poor for you? Then spend your money in anything that shines in your eyes.

No, I shall spend my money on something that does not shine in MY eyes or other road users and have an acceptable output ie. >1000 lumens

 

[Alan B]

I've been looking everywhere for a full cut off led light. Finally got a hit:
http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27270C-Round-Headlamp-price/dp/B007K8AA7I

Looks like a good pattern. Hopefully they can make something lighter more suitable for a small bike.

The smaller unit appears to be high beam only?

 

[dogman dan]

Again, we see that the best solutions for beam pattern come from a motorcycle, scooter, or car.

Much depends on how you are riding. If you ride 30 mph+ in the dark, you will need to aim the beam far out ahead, yet have a pattern that does not spray up into everybody coming at you on the road. If you are riding like a motorcycle, you'll need lights as good as any motorcycle has.


If you ride like a bike, 15-20 mph, then you won't need such a far look forward to ride safely, and can simply point your lights down some so they don't blind. Problem with bikes is, so many don't point em down enough.

 

[Modbikemax]

I've been looking everywhere for a full cut off led light. Finally got a hit:
http://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27270C-Round-Headlamp-price/dp/B007K8AA7I

I sell something similar in my shop, the prices are tumbling rapidly. They are a motor vehicle headlight with a headlight pattern. The ones I sell are legal for use on the road, truckers use them for their extended life but the light output is similar to regular headlights although the colour is a cool white. Power consumption is not stunningly better than a halogen light, around half at least the one I have is. They are heavy, I tried one on a motorcycle for a while and they work very well but even on a motorcycle the weight was undesirable. I will be interested to hear how it performs if some fits one to their bike.

 

[Nanoha]

What price are we looking at for one Modbikemax?
I don't mind trying, infact on my links I can see that they use two emitters per reflector. I'll probably see if I can replace them with a cree cxa 3070 and get 10000 lumens

 

[Modbikemax]

Last time I checked around $800 for something like this. Remember you are paying more for the ADR compliance for use on Australian roads. Anything fitted to a licensed vehicle needs to comply with ADR Australian Design Regulations. A manufacturer pays for testing, rubber stamping, for this approval and as a result cost more. Bicycle lights, flood lights, work lights, spot lights don't need to comply so are much cheaper.

 

[Vanarian]

So there no that many Fox hanging around in this forum either? :lol: This is good news!

Dear friends I will just remind you my recommendation again regarding headlights coming from the Italian industry of 80-90s,
back then Piaggio (Italian manufacturer) was having scooter models with the product series naming as Piaggio SI , Piaggio CIAO, Piaggio BRAVO.

All those scooters are using over sized plastic headlights, which are huge, light weight, and still available as parts even as new or used.

I did my very own research for them, which lasted about a week time, and I ended to find such compatible goods from sellers in ebay.it
My tip for the ones who does not feel lazy to search, is to Google about its one of the above scooter models, by finding pictures of them, as assistance to their selection, by examining factors as shape and mounting brackets support compatibility which works best for their bicycle.

Another possibly practical solution is to locate a local dealer of Piaggio scooters and to check his inventory regarding new-old stock.
These scooters is now ancient history, there is a significant possibility to find something new and very cheaply, in a old stock clearance price.

Thank you for the advice !

 

[Nanoha]

Last time I checked around $800 for something like this. Remember you are paying more for the ADR compliance for use on Australian roads. Anything fitted to a licensed vehicle needs to comply with ADR Australian Design Regulations. A manufacturer pays for testing, rubber stamping, for this approval and as a result cost more. Bicycle lights, flood lights, work lights, spot lights don't need to comply so are much cheaper.

Thanks for checking Modbikemax,
I'll probably go with the trucklite ones once I have time.
I'll start a new thread once I start to mod them.

 

[friendly1uk]

LED's of the TIR type give a beam with a divergence angle so acute you might think it a laser. Various beams shapes can be done, including what we want. It is just waiting. So I have wrote to them. We have a special need here. Motor vehicle grade lighting, but we need not fit any legal framework. I think every lumen produced should go off in the right direction to save carrying too much battery as well as not to blind people. The first person to market could sell a stack of lights as it's going to look totally modern and proper, and the only option to buy when beside the almost omnidirectional lighting other luminaires offer.

We all want it don't we? How can any manufacturer be ignoring this? I will hopefully get a price, and if so we can talk group buy. I know it won't be cheap, but if something similar exists already then we are in with a chance.


I have a torch here that projects a perfectly clean cut square on to the wall, from it's square emitter. Typical spherical lens ahead of the lamp design. Really clean cut off, but some scatter is to be expected as it's not a tir. Using these available parts, you could make an array of squares sideXside to form a neat horizon. A 10mm led gives a good size local lens and the spherical lens can be very close so the size is not bad per emitter. The weight will add up though. Much thought tells me the squares must not overlap or it draws bars that mess with night vision. A small gap between them would be needed. Big enough to allow manufacture defects in alignment to not let the beams cross, but small enough to let vibration in the bike keep the light moving enough to never leave a dark area long enough for it to mentally register.


I will wait on the tir reply. 20mm is standard. Might fit in an available torch. Assembly rather than manufacture. Seems so easy...

 

[Nanoha]

Another perk of the automotive lights is the beam is more concentrated on the top than then bottom so it is even in brightness when it hits the road.
That way you don't get blinded by the hotspot up close. A must for any high power led light.


http://www.dosun.us/portablelight/productframe_D1.html
This is the only non dynamo light that I know of that's designed for a bicycle.
Maybe the B&M Big Bang but that's hid.

 

[izeman]

guys you are talk about ancient car head lights. today lights are segmented into different spots and the light flows around oncoming traffic based on a camera in the windshield. it's high beam all the time and the other cars are just cut out of the beam.
THAT would be nice to be seen on the bike. 30 something little leds with different spots, and little webcam and an arduino and we are ready to go 8)

 

[Alan B]

I saw that system recently, probably in a trade magazine, it is likely years away from release. Looks interesting though. Probably too much for an ebike.

 

[izeman]

While that sounds useful and interesting, we dont' have anything like that here on any car I've seen in the Phoenix AZ area, so it must be something yet to arrive on new cars here, even the high-end luxury cars I occasionally see in this part of town.
What brand, model, and year cars have those, today?

mercedes c-class for example. so not real luxury but mid sized. volkswagen has it in it's new passat as well imho.
of course i was joking to have something like this on an ebike as the technology behind it is quite complicated. but REALLY nice. you have high beam ALL the time. and you don't blind others.

i looked it up on mercedes' homepage. only got the german version. it's called "intelligent high beam assistent plus"

Für mehr Durchblick. Zum Beispiel an Kreuzungen in der Dämmerung. Und besseren Einblick. Zum Beispiel in einen kurvenreichen Straßenverlauf in der Nacht. Wir möchten, dass Sie sich voll auf das Fahren konzentrieren können und sich nicht um die Beleuchtung Ihres Fahrzeugs kümmern müssen.

Dieses System ermöglicht es, permanent mit eingeschaltetem Fernlicht zu fahren, ohne andere Verkehrsteilnehmer zu blenden. Dem Fahrer steht so immer die bestmögliche Leuchtweite der Scheinwerfer zur Verfügung. Die Funktion ist aktiv ab 30 km/h auf Straßen ohne Straßenbeleuchtung.

Über eine hinter der Frontscheibe platzierte Stereokamera erkennt der Adaptive Fernlicht-Assistent Plus andere beleuchtete Verkehrsteilnehmer, wie zum Beispiel entgegenkommende oder vorausfahrende Fahrzeuge, und passt die Scheinwerfer selbstständig an die neue Verkehrssituation an.

Eine Mechanik im Scheinwerfermodul blendet den Bereich im Lichtkegel der LED-Scheinwerfer aus, in dem sich andere Fahrzeuge befinden, sodass deren Fahrer nicht geblendet werden. Der Fahrer kann deshalb das Fernlicht permanent eingeschaltet lassen und dessen Reichweite nutzen, ohne andere Verkehrsteilnehmer damit zu belästigen oder zu gefährden.

Nur erhältlich in Verbindung mit dem LED Intelligent Light System.

 

[Alan B]

Well, apparently there are some very new vehicles that have this adaptive technology, but it is not allowed in the USA.

I don't think it avoids blinding non-vehicular subjects such as people walking, cyclists with no headlights, etc as it responds to oncoming lights. Plus it only kicks in above 37mph.

http://arstechnica.com/cars/2014/06/laserbeam-headlights-not-in-the-us/

 

[izeman]

well maybe it should be allowed i've never had such bad headlight as from US cars. having driven buick, chevys, fords and some others i must say that their light was REALLY bad. those where all SUVs with halogen lights. no xenon.
even my old volkswagen i had 20 years ago was better. but i'm drifting away from the topic.
today i received my second xm6 led light which will be installed on the handle bar. one for low beam and one for high beam. but both of them are only be used off road and even there other bikes or pedestrians are not happy if i come along

 

[izeman]

as you said: you won't be able to buy this as a "ready to work system". this is fully integrated into the car's electronics. and all networked together. the speedo, the sat nav, the cameras even the mirrors all work together. and you will need this special headlamp which is available as car type only. but maybe that fact would make it perfect for crazybike anyway
if your ebike is for transportation and your need the light on the road a DOT approved light (or something similar) is the only way to go imho. all those led lights bikers like to use (me included - i got two installed) are for off road riding and should only be used on the road if you forget the time and was surprised by dusk.

 

[toshy]

The one that I am working with right now can be found on eBay and they look like this:

Item description: Super Bright Waterproof 12V 30W LED Laser Spot Light Lamp For Car Motorcycle


The unit I have will take up to 85V as it has a capable driver inside. Not sure about this exact one.

The issue I have is that the beam is too tightly focused. Good for 'throw' downfield, but not so good for the patch of ground right in front of your bike. I will post updates as I find more suitable lights.

I have just bought 2 such lamps from ebay, 10$ each. VERY bright (impressed), rated as 12-60V, it has U2 led inside, but ...
First one died after 20 minutes test drive at 5°C. It was wired directly to my lamp switch, the output was around 53V. It isnt completely dead, it still turns on, but you can barely see its working.

What kind of experiences do you guys have with these lamps?

Right now I'm in debate with the seller what to do...He's offering me to send new ones, but I'm aware they wont last long.

 

[izeman]

it could be a defect in the led driver feeding the led with a too high current?! i don't think that this light would be defect by design. so i personally would wait for the seller to send replacement. you could test the other lamp and led it shine for 24h to see if it can do it. but don't forget to put a small pc fan next to it. those lights all need some moving air or they will overheat.

 

[Alan B]

Their voltage range claim may be too optimistic, so being so close to its upper voltage may be too much stress.

 

[toshy]

When I pushed the led with a finger, it worked, but the brightness was around 5% as it should be.
Mesaured the voltage on the "broken" led, and it reads the same voltage as battery (53V), on the working one, the voltage is 3V at the led. So I guess something blew up...
Well, took it out from the housing so I could try my soldering skills, put it in the oven for a few minutes...Still the same story.
Here is the board, I guess there's nothing fixable?


I'm getting new ones, I ll have to pay a few bucks for the shipping, but I m still in doubt how long will it work.

 

[izeman]

you could reverse engineer it. it's quite simple, but imho not worth the effort. you will need to order parts which will probably cost the same as a new light if bought locally or you will have to wait 3 weeks from china which is the same time as waiting for new lights.
i would keep the broken stuff in case you want to use as spare parts.

 

[Alan B]

I have built PWM based incandescent flashlight regulators that could handle this, and they have ramped starting so the filament inrush is well controlled. The trick is to feed the filament with direct PWM, and regulate the duty cycle to get the desired RMS value. Much simpler than DC-DC converters. Works fine on filament bulbs, but not LEDs.

 

[Alan B]

Well, you need to turn it on and off at the right duty cycle to make proper 12V RMS for the bulb.

The circuit is simple, a power FET straight to the filament, driving the gate right off a microprocessor at 240 hz. Build about 30 of them small enough to fit in the switch area of a D Maglite. They will handle about 10 amps without getting warm. Measures the raw voltage and computes the RMS vs duty cycle to control the effective voltage. Easy to vary the voltage and make ramping soft-on by sweeping the PWM up from zero. Basic electronics, no gold required.